According to one embodiment, an ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprises a data acquisition unit, an image generation unit, a calculation unit, a determination unit and a measurement unit. The data acquisition unit acquires a plurality of ultrasonic data. The image generation unit generates a plurality of ultrasonic images by using the plurality of ultrasonic data. The calculation unit calculates a feature amount for determining a shift between the two-dimensional section and a central axis of a target blood vessel. The determination unit determines an optimal image from the plurality of ultrasonic images based on the feature amount. The measurement unit measures an intima-media thickness of the target blood vessel by using the optimal image.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: an ultrasonic probe configured to acquire a plurality of ultrasonic data by repeatedly scanning a two dimensional section in a longitudinal direction of a target blood vessel with an ultrasonic wave; an image generation processor configured to generate a plurality of ultrasonic images by using the plurality of ultrasonic data; and a measurement processor configured to extract a measurement region based on one of a pixel value and a rate of change in pixel value from each of the ultrasonic images, calculate lateral widths of the measurement region at at least two positions, determine an ultrasonic image having a smallest rate of change in pixel value from the plurality of ultrasonic images based on the lateral widths, and measure an intima media thickness of the target blood vessel by using the ultrasonic image having a smallest rate of change in pixel value.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ultrasonic probe acquires the plurality of ultrasonic data in correspondence with a phase of a biological signal which periodically changes by performing the scan in synchronism with the biological signal, the image generation processor generates the plurality of ultrasonic images associated with the phase of the biological signal, and the measurement processor selects a plurality of ultrasonic images corresponding to a predetermined phase from the plurality of ultrasonic images, calculates the lateral widths concerning each selected ultrasonic image, and determines the ultrasonic image having a smallest rate of change in pixel value from the plurality of selected ultrasonic images.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the biological signal comprises an ECG signal.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the measurement processor generates a graph indicating a change in the lateral widths of the target blood vessel in a longitudinal direction for each selected ultrasonic image, and determines the ultrasonic image having a smallest rate of change in pixel value based on the plurality of generated graphs.
5. A medical image diagnostic apparatus comprising: an image generation processor configured to generate a plurality of blood vessel images by using a plurality of blood vessel data obtained by imaging a two dimensional section in a longitudinal direction of a target blood vessel; and a measurement processor configured to extract a measurement region based on one of a pixel value and a rate of change in pixel value of each blood vessel image, calculate lateral widths of the measurement region at at least two positions, a blood vessel image having a smallest rate of change in pixel value from the plurality of blood vessel images based on the lateral widths, and measure an intima media thickness of the target blood vessel by using the blood vessel image having a smallest rate of change in pixel value.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the plurality of blood vessel data are captured in synchronism with a biological signal which periodically changes and is associated with a phase of the biological signal, the image generation processor generates the plurality of blood vessel images associated with the phase of the biological signal, and the measurement processor selects a plurality of blood vessel images corresponding to a predetermined phase from the plurality of blood vessel images, calculates the lateral widths concerning the each selected blood vessel image, and determines the blood vessel image having a smallest rate of change in pixel value from the plurality of selected blood vessel images.
7. The apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the biological signal comprises an ECG signal.
8. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the measurement processor generates a graph indicating a change in the lateral widths of the target blood vessel in a longitudinal direction for each selected blood vessel image, and determines the blood vessel image having a smallest rate of change in pixel value based on the plurality of generated graphs.
9. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: an ultrasonic probe configured to acquire a plurality of ultrasonic data by repeatedly scanning a two dimensional section in a longitudinal direction of a target blood vessel with an ultrasonic wave; an image generation processor configured to generate a plurality of ultrasonic images by using the plurality of ultrasonic data; a measurement processor configured to calculate a major axis length and minor axis length of an ellipse which are obtained by ellipse fitting of a section of the target blood vessel on each ultrasonic image, determine an ultrasonic image having a minor axis length that substantially equals to a blood vessel radius and a major axis length that is longer than a preset threshold from the plurality of ultrasonic images based on the major axis length and minor axis length, and measure an intima-media thickness of the target blood vessel by using the ultrasonic image having a minor axis length that substantially equals to a blood vessel radius and a major axis length that is longer than a preset threshold.
10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the ultrasonic probe acquires the plurality of ultrasonic data in correspondence with a phase of a biological signal which periodically changes by performing the scan in synchronism with the biological signal, the image generation processor generates the plurality of ultrasonic images associated with the phase of the biological signal, and the measurement processor selects a plurality of ultrasonic images corresponding to a predetermined phase from the plurality of ultrasonic images, calculates the major axis length and minor axis length concerning each selected ultrasonic image, and determines the ultrasonic image having a minor axis length that substantially equals to a blood vessel radius and a major axis length that is longer than a preset threshold from the plurality of selected ultrasonic images.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the biological signal comprises an ECG signal.
12. An ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus comprising: an ultrasonic probe configured to acquire a plurality of ultrasonic data by repeatedly scanning a two dimensional section in a longitudinal direction of a target blood vessel with an ultrasonic wave; an image generation processor configured to generate a plurality of color flow mapping images by using the plurality of ultrasonic data; and a measurement processor configured to extract a region including a blood flow signal as a measurement region, calculate an area of the measurement region, determine a color flow mapping image having a largest area from the plurality of color flow mapping images based on the area of the measurement region, and measure an intima-media thickness of the target blood vessel by using the color flow mapping image having a largest area.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the ultrasonic probe acquires the plurality of ultrasonic data in correspondence with a phase of a biological signal which periodically changes by performing the scan in synchronism with the biological signal, the image generation processor generates the plurality, of color flow mapping images associated with the phase of the biological signal, and the measurement processor selects a plurality of color flow mapping images corresponding to a predetermined phase from the plurality of color flow mapping image, calculates the area of the measurement region concerning each selected color flow mapping image, and determines the color flow mapping image having a largest area from the plurality of selected color flow mapping images.
14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the biological signal comprises an ECG signal.
15. A medical image diagnostic apparatus comprising: an image generation processor configured to generate a plurality of blood vessel images by using a plurality of blood vessel data; a measurement processor configured to calculate a major axis length and minor axis length of an ellipse which are obtained by ellipse fitting of a section of the target blood vessel on each blood vessel image, determine a blood vessel image having a minor axis length that substantially equals to a blood vessel radius and a major axis length that is longer than a preset threshold from the plurality of blood vessel images based on the major axis length and minor axis length, and measure an intima-media thickness of the target blood vessel by using the blood vessel image having a minor axis length that substantially equals to a blood vessel radius and a major axis length that is longer than a preset threshold.
16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of blood vessel data are captured in synchronism with a biological signal which periodically changes and is associated with a phase of the biological signal, the image generation processor generates the plurality of blood vessel images associated with the phase of the biological signal, and the measurement processor selects a plurality of blood vessel images corresponding to a predetermined phase from the plurality of blood vessel images, calculates the major axis length and minor axis length concerning each selected blood vessel image, and determines the blood vessel image having a minor axis length that substantially equals to a blood vessel radius and a major axis length that is longer than a preset threshold from the plurality of selected blood vessel images.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein the biological signal comprises an ECG signal.
18. A medical image diagnostic apparatus comprising: an image generation processor configured to generate a plurality of color flow images by using a plurality of ultrasonic data; and a measurement processor configured to extract a region including a blood flow signal as a measurement region, calculate an area of the measurement region, determine a color flow image having a largest area from the plurality of color flow images based on the area of the measurement region, and measure an intima-media thickness of the target blood vessel by using the color flow image having a largest area.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of ultrasonic data are captured in synchronism with a biological signal which periodically changes and is associated with a phase of the biological signal, the image generation processor generates the plurality of color flow images associated with the phase of the biological signal, the measurement processor selects a plurality of color flow images corresponding to a predetermined phase from the plurality of color flow image, calculates the area of the measurement region concerning the each selected color flow image, and determines the color flow image having a largest area from the plurality of selected color flow images.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the biological signal comprises an ECG signal.
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December 26, 2012
November 24, 2015
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